Allah is Above the Heavens

Imam al-Lalakaa'ey recorded in his Sharh Usool 'Itiqaad Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, Volume 3, page 401, narration no. 671:

Quote:

أخبرنا أحمد بن عبيد قال أخبرنا محمد بن الحسين قال أخبرنا أحمد بن أبي خيثمة قال حدثنا هارون بن معروف قال ثنا ضمرة عن صدقه قال سمعت التيمي يقول لو سئلت أين الله تبارك وتعالى قلت في السماء فإن قال فأين عرشه قبل أن يخلق السماء قلت على الماء فإن قال لي أين كان عرشه قبل أن يخلق الماء قلت لا أدري Ahmad ibn 'Ubayd - Muhammad ibn al-Hussein (no. 700 of Tarikh Baghdad) - Ahmad ibn Abi Khaythama - Harun bin Ma'roof - Dhamra - Saqadah - at-Taimi: If I was asked: “Where is Allah All-Mighty?”, I would say: “Above the heavens (fil-samaa’)”. If it was said: “Where was His Throne before He created the heavens?”, I would say: “On the water”. If it was said: “Where was His Throne before He created the water?”, I would say: “I don’t know”.

Who was Sulaiman at-Taimi? Well, we infer from the statements of the scholars of Jarh wa Ta'deel that he was trustworthy, a pious worshiper and from one of the greatest huffaz of Basra.